Hall-Scott Motor Car Company
The Hall-Scott Motor Car Company was an engine manufacturer based in Berkeley, California. Hall-Scott's powerful gasoline engines were a popular choice for West Coast fire apparatus in the 1940s through the 1960s. Hall-Scott engines were often specified in apparatus built by Coast, Crown and Van Pelt. The company was acquired by the Hercules Motors Corporation in 1958. Sales of new Hall-Scott engines ended by 1970. Company History The Hall-Scott Motor Car Company was established in 1910. The company name coming from the founders Elbert John Hall, and Bert C. Scott. The company was located in Berkeley, California until 1958 when Hercules moved production to Canton, Ohio. During the companies existence it would produce engines for automobiles, heavy trucks, aircraft, marine use and self propelled rail cars. It is best known today for its large 6 cylinder truck engines. Founder Elbert Hall was involved in the development of the World War 1 Liberty engine, and the company would capitalize on that connection after the war. In 1925 Hall-Scott was acquired by American Car and Foundry (ACF), but continued to operate under its own name as a subsidiary of the newly formed ACF Motors Company. From this point forward the company would primarily focus on marine, heavy truck and bus engines. Under the new ownership Elbert Hall became vice president and General Manager of the Hall-Scott division, until his departure in 1930. Bert Scott served as the President of Hall-Scott until his retirement in 1938. In 1946 ACF split into ACF Industries, and the ACF-Brill Motors Company which retained ownership of Hall-Scott. ACF-Brill was then acquired by the Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft Corporation that same year. During this reorganization, the Hall-Scott Motor Car Company became the Hall-Scott Motor Division. Hall-Scott regained its independence in 1954 becoming the Hall-Scott Motors Company. This independence would be short lived with the Hercules Motor Company acquiring Hall-Scott in 1958. By the 1960s diesel engines had made significant gains into the heavy truck market. While still popular for its reliability and power, thirsty gasoline engines like those made by Hall-Scott were quickly falling out of favor. The last Hall-Scott engines were completed in late 1969 or early 1970 although Hercules would continue to support existing engines with parts and service for several more years. Fire Service Products Marine Engines In 1931 the company introduced a 998 cubic inch inline six cylinder engine it named the Invader. Hall-Scott was already known in the marine engine market and this new engine quickly became popular for use in speedboats and yachts. Soon after its introduction the Invader received positive publicity when the U.S. Coast Guard ordered 15 Hall-Scott powered picket boats. Prohibition was still in place and the new boats were being built to interdict rum runners who used speed boats to outrun Coast Guard patrols. The Invader was the last Hall-Scott engine to be developed with the direct involvement of founder Elbert Hall. In 1937 a V-12 marine engine was developed to meet a U.S. Navy request. The new engine was closely related the Invader, using many of the same design features but made into a V type configuration. The new engine displaced 1996 cubic inches and received the name Defender. Both engines would be produced in large numbers for service in WW2 powering small naval vessels such as patrol boats and landing craft. Invader and Defender engines were also selected to power a number of fire boats. 400 Series In 1940 Hall-Scott developed the Invader marine engine into an engine for use in heavy trucks. This engine would become the Model 400 which with minor changes would remain in production for nearly 30 years. There were 3 major variants differing primarily in displacement and power output, the 1091 cubic inch Model 400, the 855 cubic inch Model 470 and the 935 cubic inch Model 480. This engine was provided with dual ignition, a feature appreciated by the fire service for its improved reliability. The 400 series engines became popular with fire departments in the western states during the late 1940s and would remain so until the end of Hall-Scott production. In 1953 the 400 series engines were updated and renamed the Model 855, 935 and 1091 reflecting their respective displacements. Under Hercules management the 855 was soon dropped, while the 935 and 1091 would be re-designated as the Model 6156 and 6182 which represented the number of cylinders and the displacement of each cylinder. Depending on application, and options the 400 series engines were capable of providing upwards of 350 horsepower and 960 ft/lbs of torque. Fuel injection and turbochargers began to be offered in the 1960s which could boost the output to 450 horse power and 1312 ft/lbs but few engines seem to have been sold with these options. Model 590 The last new Hall-Scott engine was introduced in 1954. This was the Model 590, an inline 6 cylinder engine which displaced 590 cubic inches. Hall-Scott's big 400 series engine was too large for many trucks, an issue the new engine was supposed to address. The 590 was just over 1/2 the weight of the larger engine, a foot shorter, and several inches narrower, but it still provided about 70% of the power. The 590 was available with up to 245 horsepower and 530 ft/lbs of torque. The Model 590 was available as a flat mounted, horizontal engine, or as a conventional vertically mounted engine. Although not as well liked as the larger engines, the Model 590 remained a popular choice for fire apparatus. Sources * Bradford, Francis H, and Dias, Ric A. Hall-Scott: The Untold Story of a Great American Engine Maker. Warrendale, PA: SAE International, 2007. Category:Apparatus Component Manufacturers